KTLA Los Angeles

Leeza Gibbons is extending her multi-year relationship with KTLA Los Angeles. The Emmy-winning host, writer and producer has signed a new deal with the Nexstar CW affiliate. Under the pact, Gibbons, who has co-hosted the annual Rose Parade since 2017, will return as co-host for 2025. She also will co-host Remarkable Women, Nexstar’s nationally televised annual special that honors the contributions of women in communities across the United States.

Stations use all available dayparts and platforms to connect with Angelenos.

Another shakeup is afoot in the news division of Nexstar-owned KTLA Los Angeles, this time behind the scenes. The station’s news director, Pete Saiers, is out. The station’s staff was just informed of his abrupt exit. His last day was today. The official stance is that Saiers and the management mutually agreed to not renew his contract.

Anchor Mark Mester is no longer employed by Nexstar’s CW affiliate KTLA Los Angeles. Mester was previously suspended after he criticized on-air how the station went about his co-anchor Lynette Romero’s sudden departure. KTLA announced Romero’s exit last week without a goodbye message to viewers, which drew criticism on social media.

The Nexstar CW affiliate will exclusively air 15 games this season and produce pre-game, halftime, and post-game programming. The broadcasts will be syndicated throughout Southern California.

Oprah Winfrey has been tapped to kick off Project Angel Food’s third annual telethon — Lead with Love 3 presented by City National Bank — airing live on KTLA Los Angeles on July 23. Hosted by Eric McCormack and TV personality Jessica Holmes, the telethon will also feature appearances by a long list of boldfaced names.

Over its 75 years, the station has punched above its weight, playing an important role in Los Angeles’ history and setting trends that revolutionized TV news. Despite belt-tightening and ownership changes at the station, along with dramatic shifts in viewer behavior over the last decade, KTLA’s newscasts continue to attract hundreds of thousands of viewers. Its coverage of the annual Tournament of Roses Parade still draws millions; Angelenos are particularly partial to the station’s ad-free 8 a.m. telecast.

KTTV, KCOP and KTLA become the first stations in DMA No. 2 to power up ATSC 3.0 technology.

Nexstar’s CW affiliate in L.A. will debut the weekday broadcast next month. It will be anchored by Pedro Rivera and Cher Calvin along with meteorologist Vera Jimenez.

Peter Saiers has been named news director of KTLA, Nexstar’s CW affiliate in Los Angeles. Saiers, most recently news director at KING Seattle, succeeds Jason Ball, who held the post for 12½ years and announced plans to leave in February.

New jobs posted to TVNewsCheck’s Media Job Center include an opening for a news director in Los Angeles and a news producer in Raleigh, N.C.

Sheryl Crow leads a long list of performers and celebrity guests who will appear in a Jan. 1 television special replacing the 132nd Rose Parade, which was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Rose Parade’s New Year Celebration presented by Honda will air on ABC, NBC, Hallmark Channel, Univision, RFD-TV and KTLA Los Angeles featuring performances filmed at locations across the country to limit travel and ensure safety.

Seven years after leaving her KTLA anchor chair for a high-profile CNN gig, Michaela Pereira has returned to the local news morning shift. But instead of coming back to her old stomping grounds at KTLA Morning News, which she cohosted for nine years, Pereira has jumped to crosstown rival KTTV, to lead a revamped Good Day L.A. broadcast.

TV stations, including those in Los Angeles, have had to adapt quickly to the new normal of programming news while adhering to government mandates designed to stop the spread of the virus. While TV audiences continue to tune in to CNN and MSNBC for the latest national updates, they are also relying on broadcasters closer to home to apprise them of what’s going on specifically in their communities.

Nexstar taps the broadcaster with 30 years of large-market experience to lead its Los Angeles CW affiliate and its related digital operations, mobile apps, and social media channels. She succeeds the retiring Don Corsini and begins her duties on Feb. 10.

Veteran station executive Don Corsini, a fixture in the Los Angeles TV market who spent the past decade running CW affiliate KTLA as president and general manager, has informed the station’s staff of his plan to retire at the end of the year. He made announcement at a meeting with employees, emphasizing that the departure was entirely his decision, according to sources. The move comes following Nexstar Media Group’s takeover of Tribune Media.